I have friend who was looking at the Affinity 3. After checking out the Benelli M2 he decided to wait, save a few more bucks, and bought the M2 instead.

 

I couldn't be happier with mine. Patterns great. Shoots where it points and so far it digests everything I feed it. I haven't tried 7/8 oz loads because I don't shoot them. Recoil is stout with heavy 3" loads but I only use them on Turkey.
It does come with shims. Just feels right for me.
Seven year warranty is hard to beat and customer service is great.
Others opions may differ.
TF

 

Nothing but good things to say about mine.

 

Thanks for the replies.

 

Can't speak to the 3 but had a great duck hunt with an outfitter who rented me a 3.5 and I was very impressed over 3 days. Would not hesitate to do this over a Benelli M2 . I liked the affinity 3.5 enough that I have debated buying one even though I have a couple of SBE2s in the safe.

 

I had one didn't like it traded toward a versamax couldn't be happier.

 

This is the inertia gun I am seriously considering. Looking specifically at the sporting model. Ive handled it a couple times at the LGS and it is nice. If I go with a gas gun for sporting clays, I may have to circle back on this one for my field gun. Can you ever have too many?

 

Have an Affinity3. Works great, looks great, feels great. I consider all of todays autoloaders like tools. As long as it works reliably and fits you, take your pick. I got the Franchi cuz it felt nice and fit me well and is reliable and I have not been disappointed. But if it fell overboard and I had to get a new one there really wouldn't be any love lost. Would of got a V3 but they were all gone. It's not like my old Beretta 686 that I would actually miss. In my view, autoloaders are simply not heirloom material, they are working guns. A heirloom quality autoloader is like a gold plated Milwaukee power drill you're scared to bring to the job site, what's the point?

 

I have an Affinity 3 that is my 4x4 shotgun. I shot it with some camo rustoleum and it has been 100% reliable with every ammo I have put through it, from 1 1/8 1200 fps clay loads to 1.5oz bismuth for duck hunting. I had to add a 1/8" Kickeez comb pad as I couldn't raise the stock enough to fit me with even the highest shim. As an inertia gun, it does have more recoil than I'd like and it's a bit stiff to load. Just as a statement of fact, it can float a 4th shell above the lifter if the operator would choose to do so in a situation where it is legal. However, I did just pick up a used 391 Xtrema 3.5" model (although I don't shoot 3.5" shells) and it's so similar to the A400 that I used to shoot for clays (still my backup gun) that I am highly considering duck hunting with it. Something about flat ribs just works for me with semi-autos, I dunno.

 

Appreciate all the comments. I wanted a nice looking working shotgun for upland game and clays, and I think the Franchi 150th Anniversary model fits the bill. These blems went on sale for $936 and I snagged one right before it went out of stock. I'll post pics when she gets here.

Franchi 150th

 

Nice looking gun and great place to buy from if you can't find locally. Got a few things from them when the local stores were completely empty and orders went without a hitch. Good luck and enjoy.

 

I bought an Affinity 3 Elite and have been very happy with it as my primary waterfowl gun. The factory finish wasn't quite up to the task of spending all day in the marsh in the rain, so I applied several coats of Timberluxe inside and out, and it's perfect now!

 

I have one. Love it. Also have a Silver Pigeon. These are the two shotties I use for everything. I primarily use the Beretta for upland and other birds. Affinity for turkeys and clays. I actually had a Retay Masai Mara, an older Montefeltro and a new version M2 ... and after always hitting more clays everytime with the Franchi sold them. Just fits my face I guess. I dont use anything but 2.75" shells for all things. I have only killed five turkeys since I started hunting them a few years back, but they all went down hard with cheap old fashioned turkey loads and a good choke.

I have hunted a lot in Bear Paws Mountains of Montana for wild birds, and my buddy up there is a bird killing machine with his Affinity. Big old boy who wears that thing on a strap, and it keeps ticking year after year. He probably hunts more than anybody I know and has plenty of money and other guns. I bring my over under on that trip, and every year bang the heck out it climbing under barbed wire and scrambling down rocks and brush. And every year I wonder why I do while my buddy is carrying that Affinity on a strap and doesnt mind bashing stuff with it if he needs to. Plus, when we jump ducks on ponds ... he always has three shells to my two. Maybe next year I will bring my Affinity.

Honestly, I simply prefer the Affinity to the Benelli 3" models -- no need for a SBE or other 3.5" in my life. Even if they all cost the same I would go with the Affinity everytime.

And if you need a gun to say Benelli ... the Affinity does say Benelli on it too.

 

I’ve had mine for a few years now with no issues, I use it primarily for skeet with occasional sporting clay. It fits me so well I shoot better with it than I do with my Browning Citori. I did have to modify a bit to my liking especially with weight and balance. For price and functions it fits👍

 

I have had an affinity 3 since they came out. It was my first purchase when I graduated college. This thing is more than reliable if you ask me. I have never had any issues with light loads. I reload 1oz target loads and it has cycled them fine.

It is primarily my duck gun but I will shoot clays with it to get comfortable with it before season. Shims are included, chokes are included, and I have never had an issue with the sling swivels.

The only con I have is the butt pad. You have to get it directly from Franchi at least last time I checked. I never had a real warranty problem but I did need to replace the butt pad. Called Franchi up even though it was after my 7 years and they shipped one to me for free.

The breakdown of the gun is simple. It is very easy to clean and will continue to be my duck gun next season. My gun probably has 5000 plus rounds through it.

 

I have the Franchi and benelli m2. I grab whatever is handy when duck/dove hunting and enjoy each equally. If only buying one, I wouldn’t hesitate to get a franchi.

 

I bought the Affinity 3, 30" barrel for my son last Sunday. Monday we went to assemble it, the barrel would not slide in place. I took it back to the gun store to have them put it together and after an hour of "working on it" in the back room they were able to jam it together but I couldn't pull it apart and that took way too much effort. The gun was obviously machine poorly and shouldn't have passed any inspection if they even do that at Franchi. After an afternoon of calls to the district level management, the store agreed to buy the gun back (once it leaves the store, its a used gun...even if it couldn't be assembled) and sell me a different gun.

Take away from this...
No matter the brand and make of a new gun, I will always put it together in the store before leaving with it. That way I can exchange it right there on the spot.

I am not revealing the place of purchase as they are a national chain and they did right by helping my son get a gun he can use next week, instead of waiting for it to come back from Franchi in 6 weeks and miss Grouse season.

 

Franchi's go together in a unique manner but if you know what you're doing its very simple and it's in the manual. sadly, I'm not surprised that the big box store didn't know how to do it either.

 

Had one and it wouldn't go together unless it was lined up perfectly.

 

ok... not to be an ***, but there are a couple of you here that failed to read the dang instructions on assembling the gun... 1 put the forend on the barrel going from breach to muzzle... this is OPPOSITE of nearly every other SA shotgun ever made! then, pull the bolt back about a half inch and slide the barrel/forend assembly onto the magazine tube and into the receiver. let the bolt close, and screw down the magazine tube cap... DONE! if there was ever an easier to assemble SA shotgun, I have not seen it...

 

my son has one that missed up dont ask franchi to help fix it its junk

 

messed up how?

 

Wise choice. I really like mine. 12g 26” Bottomland

 

I have a 12 Affinity Catalyst (woman's gun) and a regular 20. Both shoot and function well, but you have to learn that inertia guns, at least both of these, have the "Franchi bolt" phenomenon. If the bolt handle is knocked out of battery (I think that's the right term) the trigger drops the hammer inside the bolt but the pin doesn't strike the primer. The same problem occurs when the shooter gently lowers the bolt against the chamber. It's only an embarrassment during informal target shoots, but the Little Woman let an easy pheasant get away last fall after either catching the bolt handle on her shell vest or trying to quietly chamber a shell.

The 12 shoots one ounce cheap target loads without complaint. Haven't tried 7/8's in the 12. The 20 handles anything it is fed. Inertia guns are great for low maintenance, but when her second-hand Catalyst arrived via Gunbroker the bolt was disassembled and the firing pin retention pin was MIA and there was not a replacement for this $6 part closer than Europe. It turned out the 20 and 12 use identical parts, so I was able to cannibalize from the other gun until the replacement part was available months later. I was surprised neither Franchi or the Usual Suspects (Numrich, Midwest, Brownell, etc.) don't keep common parts for a popular gun inventoried and would hate to need a trigger group, etc. a week before hunting season. The guns are high quality and well made, but stuff breaks or wears out.

I have to hold the Catalyst like a .22 rifle to overcome the extra drop, and a 20 gauge only kicks like a 20 gauge, so I can't comment on the extra recoil from inertia guns from experience. But the Little Woman shoots 1 1/4 and 1 3/8 ounce hunting loads without complaint.

 

I have a Franchi Affinity 3.5. I would post pictures but it doesn’t seem straight forward on this forum. I have a cerakoted finish. I generally like everything about the gun and it shoots intended targets well. But I can’t trust this gun to cycle 3 rounds without issue. It has been sent back in warranty because it was double feeding out of the box and Bass pro didn’t have on-site help to fix this issue. I probably don’t have 500 rounds through this yet so I’m not sure if that is the issue here. Lately it’s double feeding a bit again and I’ve also had the issue with getting the 1st round off fine and the second round goes ‘click’. As the birds roll in, I don’t know what I’m gonna get with this gun. I really don’t wanna send it away again because I’m sure they do whatever, run 6 rounds through it, and then send it back to me. I will likely trade it off on a Browning Maxus II.